How to learn cybersecurity on your own- We also have an article here that discusses the estimated costs of various cybersecurity training alternatives, as well as an article on tried-and-true cybersecurity learning methodologies.
Some persons who desire to learn cyber security have a difficult time doing it. They want to learn about cyber security but don’t have the funds or time to enrol in traditional college courses. Perhaps their work schedule is too demanding, or their shifts vary too frequently, for them to be able to attend lessons on a regular basis. Perhaps they don’t have access to transportation. There are a variety of reasons why someone might not be able to understand cyber security in a traditional classroom setting. If this describes you, don’t let it deter you from learning more about cyber security. There is a method to learn cyber security on your own time and from the comfort of your own home. Here’s how to go about it.
How to Learn Cyber Security on Your Own?
Determine exactly what you want to study, find learning materials, and design a learning plan to learn cyber security from home. Then, on a daily basis, study the information in a systematic manner. Complement your studies with hands-on experience and laboratories that you can complete from the comfort of your own home.
Don’t worry if the last paragraph scared you or took the wind out of your sails. I’ll show you how to accomplish precisely what I’ve mentioned and learn cyber security on your own in the sections below. In reality, if you follow the methodology below with consistency and dedication, you can get a working knowledge of cyber security in as little as a year and become one of the most knowledgeable cyber security professionals in as little as three years. Because time will pass anyhow, if you’re serious about learning cyber security on your own, keep reading.
Recognize the Drawbacks of Mastering Cyber Security on your Own
Before you get all geared up and plan on conquering the cyber security world on your own, you should be aware of the constraints you’ll face if you choose to learn from home.
Limitation #1: Limited access to equipment. Keep in mind that you’ll be at a disadvantage compared to others who are taking cyber security classes in college or working in the industry because you’ll likely have limited access to equipment and technology. Colleges spend tens of thousands of dollars on equipment for their students, and you won’t have the same access if you learn from home. It doesn’t rule out the possibility of learning; it’s just something you’ll have to work around.
Limitation #2: There is no one-on-one mentoring from an instructor. You’ll be on your own because you’re learning on your own. The majority of instructors are competent, educated, and eager to answer students’ queries. Keep in mind that as an independent learner, you won’t have immediate access to an expert if you get stuck.
Limitation #3: You are responsible for developing your own curriculum. Courses and programmes in colleges are structured and verified. You’ll need to decide out what you need to learn and in what order if you’re learning on your own.
Let’s get started learning cyber security from home now that we’ve reviewed the problems you’ll face and what you’ll be up against.
How to Start Learning Cyber Security on Your Own
The first step in learning cyber security on our own is deciding what we want to learn and in what order we want to learn it. This is an important step that should not be skipped. Understand that investing one minute now to plan your study path will save you at least ten minutes later because you will be on track and more efficient with your time.
Step 1: Decide what you’d like to learn. The subject of cyber security is vast, with numerous specialties that are always changing and expanding. The first step in learning cyber security on your own is to decide what you want to concentrate on. You can alter your mind or pivot later, but it helps if you can narrow down an area that you believe would be of interest to you. Consider whether you want to specialise in programming, penetration testing, network security, forensics, or something else entirely. Making a decision now will assist you in determining your best course of action.
If you’re not sure what the domains listed above signify, conducting your own due diligence is one approach to learn more about them and make a wiser selection. Find out more about these careers and what they require. Look at job advertisements to get a sense of what the job entails, and see if you can chat to people who are doing the job to learn more.
Step 2: Identify high-quality resources. Now that you have a general concept of what you want to achieve, look for free or low-cost resources to help you get started. O’Reilly’s Safari, Cybrary, and Pluralsight are just a few of the cyber security learning platforms available online. There are a lot of courses accessible on Udemy, and your local library should have a lot of books. Make sure that any content you choose, particularly novels, is new and no more than three years old. Avoid websites like YouTube that do not maintain a high level of quality control. While YouTube is a fantastic tool, there is no quality control, so you can quickly obtain inaccurate information.
Step 3: Decide what you want to learn first. You won’t be able to study everything in one sitting, and certain topics may require some past knowledge. Examine some of the stuff and see what you can locate that is appropriate for you. There are several online courses available that would be a wonderful place to start. Intro to Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Essentials, or something similar are common titles. Don’t make the mistake of planning too far ahead of time, jumping forward, or jumping about.
The Learn On Your Own Cyber Security Study Plan
It’s time to start studying now that you know what you want to learn and have your materials selected. Following these steps will ensure your cyber security education is a success.
Study Strategy #1: Concentrate on one subject at a time. Cyber security is a complex and at times tough subject. You’ll have the most success if you concentrate on one topic at a time and study it thoroughly until you understand it completely. Before going on, make sure you’ve reviewed your material and mastered what you’re studying to the point that you can explain or teach it to someone else. Remember that cyber security is foundational and builds on earlier knowledge, so stay focused until you’ve mastered what you’re working on right now. It’s a good idea to use a variety of resources, but make sure they’re all focused on the same thing.
Study Strategy #2: Every morning, read for one hour. Developing a daily reading habit is an excellent method for ensuring success. It is stated that if you read one hour a day in your chosen field for three years, you will be an expert and world class in five. You already know what you want to study and where you need to focus at this point. Now set aside one hour each day to read, preferably first thing in the morning, to ensure that it becomes a priority.
Study Strategy #3: If at all possible, listen to audiobooks. One person told me that because he worked too much, he didn’t have time to understand cyber security. His schedule was beyond insane. After speaking with him, I discovered that he spends three or more hours a day in a vehicle, travelling from customer to customer and from work to home.
This is your most productive period because you are awake, aware, and not doing anything else. Listen to cyber security audio courses instead of listening to music or conversing on the phone. The ones listed above will run on your phone’s apps and will work even if the screen is turned off. Listen to the audio tracks of the video courses you come across. This will help you get into the swing of things and expose you to additional cyber security jargon. The person I just stated has 15 hours a week available to listen to cyber security audio books, but he believes he doesn’t have time to study.
Use any free time you have to listen to audio while driving, doing housework, or doing anything else mindless.
Study Strategy #4: Turn off the TV. The majority of Americans spend far too much time watching television. Make an honest and accurate estimate of how much time you waste watching TV or other useless screen time, and then reduce it in half. Study cyber security with the half you just saved.
Study Strategy #5: Do it yourself. As you begin your cyber security research, you’ll need to obtain the necessary equipment and software. A laptop is required. Learn how to set up virtual machines and ISOs. Working with free tools like Wireshark is a good idea. As much as possible, practise on genuine technology. Completing labs while studying with your learning resources is a good idea. If you’re looking to buy gear such practise switches, firewalls, or routers, bear in mind that a lot of it can be found in used condition online with a guarantee for a very low price. It will be well worth the money.
